N.J. Admin. Code § 8:43E-7.3

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 8:43E-7.3 - Requirement and responsibilities of evaluation committees

(a) Every licensed health care facility or health care system shall appoint an evaluation committee which shall be responsible for evaluating and selecting sharp devices with integrated safety features or needleless devices for use by health care workers at the facility or facilities.

(b) At least one half of all members of the evaluation committee shall be direct-care health care workers employed by the facility or health care system, whose job duties include the use of sharp devices to treat patients of the facility and resulting potential exposure to blood and other potentially exposed infectious material through accidental needle stick injuries. In the case of a health care system, not only shall at least one half of the evaluation committee be comprised of direct-care health care workers, but the evaluation committee shall also include at least one direct-care health care worker from every facility within the health care system.

(c) In determining which needles and other sharp devices or needleless devices to purchase in compliance with these rules, every evaluation committee shall establish and follow guidelines for determining which devices are to be purchased for use by facility staff. An example of such guidelines may be found in the June 1999 edition of the "California Guide to Preventing Sharps Injuries." That manual is available by contacting the California Healthcare Association by telephone at (800) 494-2001 or (916) 928-5123, via the internet at http://www.calhealth.org or in writing at the following address:

California Healthcare Association

Publication Sales Center

1101 North Market Boulevard, #9

Sacramento, CA 95834

Guidelines may also be found at http://www.tdict.org.

(d) All facilities shall develop and maintain policies and procedures for the continual review and evaluation of sharp devices or needleless devices as they are newly introduced and become available. Review of newly marketed devices shall occur at a minimum frequency of once annually. The policies and procedures shall include a requirement that all health care workers receive appropriate training in the use of all safety devices, whether sharp or needleless, purchased for use during the course of their duties. Training shall be provided to the extent necessary to ensure the proper and appropriate use of all devices with integrated safety features or needleless devices used within the facility. The policies and procedures shall be reviewed and reevaluated every three years.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:43E-7.3